Gail Farnan, MBA Joins Vivex Biologics as General Manager, Wound Care

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Gail Farnan as General Manager, Wound Care for Vivex Biologics.

Vivex Biologics, a leading regenerative medicine company that markets tissue technology products and cellular therapies focused on orthopaedic applications with an emphasis on spine related therapies, has developed a diverse portfolio of current products including cellular bone matrices, amniotic tissue, general orthopaedic treatments, and sports medicine products to meet the therapeutic demand in the areas of spine, dental, sports medicine, and wound care. 

The company has a robust Wound Care division that supports their Cygnus products, amniotic derived regenerative allografts used for tissue regeneration and healing.

As the company continues to grow its wide array of therapies, it needed a strategic leader who could take charge of one of their franchises. The recruitment of Farnan as General Manager, Wound Care will bring highly focused branding campaigns for the company’s sales forces.

Gail Farnan

Farnan was the Global Director of Marketing at Medtronic where she guided business development activities for a minimally invasive circulatory support platform called CircuLite. She influenced the education and training of senior leadership on the CircuLite platforms and modeled new global opportunities using qualitative and quantitative market research.

Before Medtronic, she was the Vice President of Marketing at Abiomed where she implemented new marketing strategies for the launches of their Impella platform. She was pivotal in raising U.S. market awareness and presence for the company’s corporate acquisition. Prior to Abiomed, Farnan was the Director of Global Marketing for Novoste Corporation and a Product Marketing Manager at Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis Corporation.

Farnan is a registered nurse by training who developed into a business leader that transformed the marketing landscape of the companies in her wake. Her arrival to Vivex Biologics will improve the Wound Care division with new leadership, strategies and communication tools. With this, the company plans for continued progress in the biologics space.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Nora York Joins Canary Medical as Senior Director, Regulatory & Quality Assurance

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Nora York to join Canary Medical as Senior Director of Regulatory & Quality Assurance.

Canary Medical is an innovative medical technology company commercializing smart implants in the orthopedic, cardiovascular, and aesthetic markets. The company integrates a sensor and microprocessor system into FDA-cleared implantable medical devices to generate real-time insights about the performance and safety of these products.

York will be responsible for developing Canary’s regulatory strategy in concert with the other leaders of the team. Her role will involve implementation, oversight, and maintenance of Canary’s regulatory affairs organization.

Nora York

Before joining Canary, York was the Director of Regulatory Affairs & Quality Assurance for SynergEyes, an advanced technology specialist company for hybrid contact lenses. She also spent two years as the Head of Regulatory Affairs for Philips Volcano Corporation in San Diego, where she was in charge of the development and execution of regulatory strategy and submission of several 510(k) applications for the company’s Image-Guided Therapy systems.

“York is a proven performer in quality and regulatory circles in Southern California” notes Tom Callaway, President of Life Science Partner. “Her recruitment to this emerging team will ensure the processes and rigor required in innovative implantable devices.”

York earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Texas in Dallas.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Mark Adler, MBA Joins Canary Medical as Vice President of Product Development

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Mark Adler, MBA to Canary Medical, where he will serve as Vice President of Product Development.

Canary Medical is an innovative medical technology company commercializing smart implants in the orthopedic, cardiovascular, and aesthetic markets. The company integrates a sensor and microprocessor system into FDA-cleared implantable medical devices to generate real-time insights about the performance and safety of these products.

Canary Medical logo

Adler will be driving further miniaturization and reduction of power for Canary’s implantable technology, advancing commercialization efforts in the orthopedic space, and providing technical support and management direction for the company’s cross function leadership to support its business objectives.

Mark was previously the Vice President at JenaValve Technologies, where he managed the development of the company’s next-gen aortic valve delivery system. He has consulted for companies such as Glucovation, Aortica, Nano-Structures, Medina Medical, Proteus Digital Health, and Micell Technologies. Among his many leadership positions, he was the Director of Sensor Engineering at Medtronic Diabetes, where he focused on the company’s glucose sensor. Also notable was his role at Dexcom as the Senior Director of Developmental Engineering and Operations, where he worked on their Class III continuous glucose monitoring system.

“Adler is well-versed in the transformation of early-stage to commercial ready technology,” notes Tom Callaway, Founder and President of Life Science Partner. “He has managed large and small research and development teams, with a heavy emphasis on later stage product development and manufacturing.”

Mark Adler earned a Bachelor of Technology Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and an MBA from Argosy University in Seattle, WA.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Ron Hebert Joins Vivex Biologics as Vice President, Marketing

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Ron Hebert as Vivex Biologics’ Vice President of Marketing.

Vivex Biologics, a leading regenerative medicine company that markets tissue technology products and cellular therapies. They focus on orthopaedic applications with an emphasis on spine related therapies, and have developed a diverse portfolio of current products including cellular bone matrices, amniotic tissue, general orthopaedic treatments, and sports medicine products to meet the therapeutic demand in the areas of spine, dental, sports medicine, and wound care.

The next stage of the company’s growth is the launch of its new product, VIA Disc.

Ron Herbert

This viable allograft is delivered by a minimally invasive procedure and will be used for the treatment of Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). As the company continues to grow in the spine and biologics space, it sought a talented Vice President, Marketing who could lead the branding campaigns and support the efforts of the geographic and product-focused sales forces.

Hebert was the Vice President, Marketing, Communications, and Growth Initiatives at MEDNAX, a physician-led healthcare organization that partners with hospitals and health systems to provide a wide range of clinical services. Coming into one of the largest physician-owned/operated national staffing companies, Hebert refocused the company strategy to the hospital-customer and provided them with proof of value. He also created programs that productized services such as women/children, anesthesia, and ENT/plastics specialists.

He also spent a majority of his marketing career at Beckman Coulter serving as Director of Global Strategic Marketing and Global Product Management and Strategy. Hebert’s notable accomplishment during his time here was being able to provide innovation within the traditional product portfolio of the hematology unit.

With the arrival of Hebert, Vivex will gain a marketing leader, an integrative thinker that focuses on the customer needs, a person with a demonstrated track record of successful product launches, and a strong communicator. By utilizing Hebert’s expertise in hospital-based marketing, Vivex Biologics hopes for continued growth of its new products and a skilled manager of its existing lines.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Mark Phelps, PhD Joins Canary Medical as Vice President of Technology Development

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Mark Phelps, PhD to Canary Medical, where he will serve as Vice President of Technology Development.

Canary Medical is an innovative medical technology company commercializing smart implants in the orthopedic, cardiovascular, and aesthetic markets. The company integrates a sensor and microprocessor system into FDA-cleared implantable medical devices to generate real-time insights about the performance and safety of these products.

Canary Medical logo

Phelps will be driving technology reduction to practice for Canary’s cardiovascular applications, delineating smart implant technologic and business opportunities, providing technical leadership to the Canary Management team, and providing strategic input into building Canary’s infrastructure and business.

Mark Phelps

Previously at Medtronic, Phelps managed the Research and Development team as the Vice President of R&D for Patient Monitoring & Diagnostics. Before that, he was the Senior Program Director for Diagnostics & Monitoring where he worked on a new product line for Medtronic’s wireless implantable cardiac monitor.

“Phelps has shown his ability to be a technology innovator and forward-thinker,” notes Tom Callaway, Founder and President of Life Science Partner. “Given his background at companies such as Medtronic, TASER and LifeSync, Phelps has a proven track record of building innovative technologies to enable future improvements in healthcare.”

Phelps earned his Bachelor of Science, Masters, and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Melbourne, Florida.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Peter Wehrly Joins Vivex Biologics as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Peter Wehrly as Chief Executive Officer with Vivex Biologics.

Vivex Biologics is a leading regenerative medicine company that markets tissue technology products and cellular therapies focused on orthopaedic applications with an emphasis on spine related therapies. They have a diverse portfolio of current products including cellular bone matrices, amniotic tissue, general orthopaedics, and sports medicine products to meet the therapeutic demand in the areas of spine, dental, sport medicine, and wound care. 

Peter Wehrly

Vivex is preparing for its next stage of growth with the launch of its VIA Disc product, a paradigm-changing treatment for Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). As the company moves into the biologics space, it sought a seasoned Chief Executive to lead the company through its next stage of growth.

Wehrly is a leader in the spine and orthobiologics industries and will help lead Vivex Biologics’ expansion of their sales force and guide the company through continued growth. He is a strategic leader with a broad background in growth and operational efficiencies within public and private companies in the medical device industry. Prior to joining Vivex, Wehrly served as Chief Executive Officer with Synaptive Medical, where he led a global team launching the 2nd generation disruptive surgical robotic technology portfolio across North America, Western Europe, and Asia.

He was also Chief Executive at PQ Bypass, where he led a cross-functional team in gaining CE Mark for their Detour System, a technology designed to advance the treatment of long-segment peripheral artery disease, and approval to embark on their PMA trial in the US and Europe.

Previously, Wehrly served as Group President for Covidien where he turned around the Respiratory and Monitoring Solutions business and was later responsible for the Vascular Therapies business. Wehrly is a seasoned executive in the spine industry having led several divisions of Medtronic including Spinal and Biologics for 8 years. He played an integral role in their global market leadership positions and saw them grow from $500M to over $2.8B in compound annual growth rate.

Wehrly will play a pivotal role in helping Vivex Biologics during its next stage of growth and development as they launch a new product in the biologics space, leveraging his expertise in the spine industry and his commercial and operational strengths to ensure continued growth and preparation for a future financing event.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Rosalind Fabunmi, PhD Joins Edwards Lifesciences as Senior Director, Medical Affairs

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Rosalind Fabunmi, PhD as Senior Director, Medical Affairs with Edwards Lifesciences.

Edwards is committed to focusing on the patient journey from diagnosis to treatment to lifetime outcome, and Fabunmi has a rare combination of skills and experiences which make her highly qualified for her new role. With compelling data on the high individual and societal costs of valvular disease, Edwards is seeking to address the significant unmet need for care.

Rosalind Fabunmi, PhD

Fabunmi will lead Edwards’ evidence development and publication strategy in order to call attention to the prevalence and costs of valvular disease. Importantly, she will also serve as the public face of the company on these issues, engaging key opinion leaders to address the broad lack of awareness.

Fabunmi joins Edwards already possessing subject matter expertise in structural heart disease. Earlier in her career, she served in medical affairs roles for transcatheter aortic valve replacement technologies with Medtronic. Notably, she has also served in medical affairs roles in the pharmaceutical industry, working on heart failure products with Merck and Amylin Pharmaceuticals.

Most recently, Fabunmi served as Senior Director, Medical Affairs with the diabetes company Zafgen. The pharmaceutical industry has blazed the trail on burden of disease data and its use, so Fabunmi’s combination of medical device and pharmaceutical experience in Edwards’ disease space makes her exceptionally qualified for this role. In a career primarily focused on medical affairs, Fabunmi’s experience also encompasses health economics and outcomes research, rendering her almost unique in terms of the skills she brings to Edwards.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Dave Booth Joins Be The Match as Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dave Booth as Vice President of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs with Be The Match.

Booth is a seasoned quality executive with a broad background in building and leading global quality teams within the medical device industry. At Smiths Medical, Booth was Head of Quality for the Infusion Systems Business Unit, responsible for both Pre-market and Post-market Quality, overseeing customer-facing quality concerns, and establishing a new product quality leadership function.

Dave Booth

At Greatbatch Medical, he created new processes and an organization for Design Assurance and Product Monitoring for their Orthopedic business. Previously, Booth led the Quality Systems and Compliance organization within Medtronic’s Cardiac Disease Rhythm Management business.

Booth understands how to build and lead a quality organization and to prepare a company to enter a new regulatory environment. Throughout his career, Booth has overseen teams ranging from small post-market groups to large, multi-site Operations Quality teams. Trained as a statistician, Booth often approaches problem solving by applying his analytical skills in conjunction with insights stemming from his extensive experience in the industry.

Booth will play a pivotal role in helping Be The Match during its next stage of growth and development. The organization is best known as the world’s largest provider of unrelated matched bone marrow donors for life-saving therapies. As allogenic-derived cell therapies are revolutionizing the treatment of cancer and genetic illnesses,

Be The Match is preparing to become the preferred supplier of hematopoietic cells to enable these therapies. Booth’s leadership skills and his years of experience managing interactions with the FDA render him well-suited to prepare Be The Match for the regulatory rigors of FDA oversight they will face as they move into the cell therapy space.

About Life Science Partner

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Chris Fang joins Humacyte as Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Chris Fang, MD, MBA, MHSc as Chief Medical Officer of Humacyte.

Fang’s expertise in biologics and medical devices will be an invaluable asset for Humacyte, a pioneering regenerative medicine company. Humacyte’s lab-grown, acellular blood vessels have been awarded FDA fast-track status for their use in dialysis grafts. The company is launching a series of trials to demonstrate their efficacy in general vascular repair/replacement, including in coronary, peripheral, and saphenous veins.

With a strong background in clinical trials, health economics and product development, Fang will spearhead Humacyte’s pursuit of additional indications for their flagship product, HUMACYL®.

Chris Fang

Fang has over twenty years of experience as a physician leader in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. Prior to joining Humacyte, Fang founded Amaris Partners, an international consultancy which facilitated investment from principally Asia-based partners into U.S.-based companies that develop and implement novel medical technologies.

Before founding Amaris, Fang served as a Board Member and Worldwide Vice President, Strategic Medical Affairs and Medical Sciences for Johnson & Johnson DePuy for the Asia Pacific Region. In this role, Fang managed the clinical evidence strategy and product safety worldwide with responsibilities for new product development, reimbursement and business development.

Fang also served as the Medical Adviser to the Regenerative Medicine Business Unit and chaired the Worldwide Pipeline Committee responsible for the approval of investigator-initiated studies.

“Fang has a broad understanding of clinical trial management and development in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and regenerative medicine, combined with deep expertise in the regulatory approval process” notes Tom Callaway, MD, MBA, Founder of Life Science Partner. “His experience working in the Asian Pacific region will also be an asset to Humacyte as the company expands into these markets.”

About Life Science Partner Executive Search

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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Balakrishnan Shankar Joins Canary Medical as Vice President, Operations

Life Science Partner is pleased to announce the recruitment of Balakrishnan Shankar to Canary Medical, where he will serve as Vice President of Operations.

Canary Medical is an innovative medical technology company commercializing smart implants in the orthopedic, cardiovascular, and aesthetic markets. The company integrates a sensor and microprocessor system into FDA-cleared implantable medical devices to generate real-time insights about the performance and safety of these products.

In his new role, Shankar will lead all operational aspects including manufacturing and supply chain for Canary Medical’s smart medical implants.

Balakrishnan Shankar

Shankar’s 20+ years of leadership in the development and commercialization of active implantable devices as well as their associated software will be an invaluable asset as Canary Medical prepares for the launch of the company’s connected devices.

Shankar previously served as Vice President of Software Development for Medtronic’s Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure division, where he led software development across all product lines, including the CareLink patient monitoring system. He was previously at Nevro and St. Jude Medical where he led software product development, operations, and technology development, and systems engineering.

“Shankar has seen the entire spectrum of implantable, electronic medical devices – from concept and design to manufacturing/operations and systems integration,” notes Tom Callaway, Founder of Life Science Partner. “He is the world’s expert for taking connected medical devices from concept to commercialization. His deep technological and operational expertise will be a tremendous asset to Canary Medical as the company continues to develop and commercialize connected implantable devices.”

Shankar earned his MS in Biomedical Engineering from John Hopkins University and his BS in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology.

About Life Science Partner Executive Search

Life Science Partner is a specialized executive search firm that recruits transformational leaders for healthcare and life sciences companies. Our high-touch, partner-led process ensures an exceptional level of service, while our backgrounds as physicians and industry executives enable us to efficiently deliver the brightest candidates in the medical device, biopharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and healthcare technology fields.

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